


Floating By

by Badnews



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Brotherly Bonding, Canonical Character Death, Death Fic, Ficlet, Gen, Keith & Shiro (Voltron) Friendship, Keith & Shiro (Voltron) are Half-Siblings, Shiro (Voltron) Needs a Hug, Trauma, idk why I wrote this but it was a bug in my side
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-13
Updated: 2019-05-13
Packaged: 2020-03-02 21:45:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18819631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Badnews/pseuds/Badnews
Summary: After a long battle Shiro and Keith are cut off from their friends and Shiro gets hurt. Keith demands they rest on a nearby planet. Only one paladin leaves.





	Floating By

The hunched figure leaned heavily on the black lion. Nearly collapsing completely to the rocky ground. Darkness clung to their shoulders. The red paladin removed his helmet, useless as it was. The static crackle from the headset was a tickle on his brain. Imprinted and distracting. 

“Shiro!” Keith called, rushing out of his ship much faster than his counterpart. 

In response to his call the black paladin collapsed completely. The drawbridge retargeting and leaving his prone form sprawled on the cold ground. 

“...Shiro?”

Keith ran his hands up Shiro’s shoulders, feeling the warm of his body under his gloves. Shiro groaned when his hands reached under to bring him closer. The red paladin helplessly unlatched his friend’s helmet and watched his lashes flicker in the new cool air. 

He stirred, hands spasming like all of his energy had come up from his lower half and sucked into a concentrated amount in his upper body. Too much energy, spilling over the edges and unable to focus. Keith watched as he had a fit only to then lay cold then start again. 

The man under him gasped, awakened by something he saw. Keith didn't blink, instead he opened his mouth to say something. His lips trembled. “It’s okay,” Keith said, “I am right here” 

Shiro looked at Keith like it was the first time. Smiling, he lifted a hand to Keith’s jaw and attempted to comfort the younger boy. His hand was shaking. A drop of crimson traced the veins in his arm, marking a pale canvas. 

“It’s okay to be scared, Keith.”

Keith touched Shiro’s fingers with the breath of a butterfly. Clasping the fingers and pulling it away as he shook his head. His hair felt like needles in the back on his head, the sides were plastered to his face from a battle that felt like it ended ages ago. 

Something bubbled up Keith’s throat and for a second he tried to swallow it but instead of bright red choking him it was a sob. “No it’s not. It’s not okay,” Still holding Shiro’s hand he pressed it close to his cheek, feeling the weak beat under his digits. “It’s-” 

Red fingertips touched his cheek, smearing it and the black paladins’s eyes dipped, then opened. “Oh Keith,” He said, “You don’t have to be scared.” 

Keith curled his lips, opening his mouth to let out a weak howl. Saliva curled around the corners of his lips and hit the ground. He tried to wipe his face, smudging the marks of death all over. His eyes remained clear and for that Shiro was thankful. 

Time was running out. “Just listen Keith… please.” Keith closed his eyes, afraid to look. “I don't want you to be scared. Please, oh god please… Don't be scared of me.” 

“Never.” Keith said, meant to harm but instead whispered close. 

Something deep in the back of his head commanded him to reach for his damaged helmet, reach it to the sky for a signal and keep the routinely transmissions going but a much closer, louder part of him refused. Selfishly he wanted to be near his brother. 

“I am not scared of you Shiro. I never was” Tears tore his face. Shiro looked sad but his smile was permanent and without the crinkles in the corner of his eyes. He looked calm. Laying on Keith’s lap and waiting, urgently talking but still sounding so sad, so tired. 

Unnoticed a gush of blood escaped Shiro’s back and side. It spilled to the ground but Shiro and Keith were locked. Staring at each other and so painfully wanting to look away.

Laying in his own growing puddle of blood, running over his armour and drying on his neck. His breathe wavered, his chest stuttered and for a moment his adams apple bobbed heavily in great painful heaves. He looked up to the immortal starry sky and his eyes glassed over but in a moment he was shaken back. Coughing once then licking his lips. 

“Keith…” Keith leaned close, pressing his forehead to his brother's own. His lashes wet and face cold. Shiro’s teeth chattered, “Water?” 

A pressure, a stone, a weight grew in his chest and Keith sniffed before shaking his head. His lips thinned as he smiled back at his dying brother. “I’m sorry… You’re going to have to wait a little longer for water. The other paladins are coming with water for you.” Shiro nodded as if that explained everything. 

Keith wanted his brother to sit up and tell him everything was going to be alright. The blood was too great, too light to be real. His own wounds throbbed but did not sting. 

His hands trembled and in retaliation Keith gripped the edges of Shiro’s armour to stop the movement. A poisonous mixture of adrenaline and survival instinct and preservation froze him. Keith couldn't move, stuck close to Shiro’s face, close enough to feel his weakened breaths. 

The red paladin had to say something, “I am scared,” the black paladin nodded, “I- I never wanted to be here, to see this, to fight- to see all of this,” 

The body underneath his was patient. Undyingly patient. Nodding along with everything he said like putty, soft and agreeable. The body smiled, “But wasn’t it wonderful?” His tone was light. 

Keith grit his teeth, squeezing his eyes shut and feeling his arms burn. “No it wasn't. Not wonderful- it won’t be without you. I am scared of this place,” Keith confessed, “I am scared of losing you in this place.” 

“Keith…” 

“Fucking god. Shiro please don't do this- that” 

The body under him was tired. His fingers felt frozen and Keith laced his own in the with difficulty. Finding the dried blood to start to flake and touch the creases of his gloves. The body whispered, “I think it was wonderful,” He said, “I think… I was glad to be here- to see this- to die here…” 

His eyebrows furrowed, mouthed the word die and his eyes dimmed. He looked to Keith, locking on those purple irises. “Will I die here?” 

Keith didn't answer, instead blinked a few more salty tears. 

Shiro shook his head, dislodging the stray thought and continued. A quirk of his lips, “I wouldn’t give up anything to die anywhere else,” he said, voice low and only meant to be heard by the angel hunched over him, “This was my dream… I am so....” 

He swallowed. Keith let his grip on the back of the armour go and instead touched his knuckles to the moving throat. Feeling it’s vibrations, its life. Shiro didn’t comment. 

“I don't want you to be scared… Keith?” 

“I’m right here,” 

Shiro shook his head, looking around for something. His eyes flickered, “I don't want you to be scared… not while I am here,” 

Keith could only nod. Shiro mouth opened in a silent gasp that was only obvious by the stuttering of his throat. Keith just let it happen and stared as the puddle of crimson grew another inch. He distantly wondered why everything was so slow, where was Voltron? Why was Shiro suffering? Why was he here? 

“Okay Shiro…” Keith said, “it’s okay Takashi…” 

The dying man laughed, wheezing. “This is all I’ve ever wanted-” 

Keith inhaled shakily, his throat gurgled it was stuffed with grain, “You wanted to?”

“I wanted to see the stars.” And finally Keith looked up, watched as the lights flickered, red, blue, purple, yellow, green and white. A planet was in the distance, bright orange, it had several rings. It was beautiful. Keith wanted to smile, he breathed in and tightened his grip on Shiro’s hand. He felt the tiniest of pressure back. 

“This is what I wanted…” He heard, “I wanted to be among the stars… I am… so... . h a p p y” 

Keith felt truly weightless. His grip was gone, his legs were numb. His mouth was open and eyes bright to the sky. Watching a million galaxies alone. Hours and hours later, while the view remained unchanged. Someone would find a paladin alone. Next to a body who once belonged to a beautiful, hopeful astronaut. 

The astronaut was alone, drifting, silently scouring the stars for a place called Earth while his brother remained on a moon, his corpse cold and unmovable.

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly this was a 500 word drabble in my notes app and I saw it one day so I rewrote it into this ficlet :) 
> 
> Idk why death fics are easy for me to write, im not looking forward to the moment where I have to write a battle scene. 
> 
> Anyway I want writer friends, pls comment, im lonely and will literally talk about anything 
> 
> I hope you are having a good day!! <3


End file.
